


When you love somebody it's hard to think about anything but to breathe

by Sarahastro



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 07:24:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1501760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarahastro/pseuds/Sarahastro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrett comes to Portland with a proposition for Audrey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When you love somebody it's hard to think about anything but to breathe

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a fan theory that's been bouncing around in my head recently, and I thought I'd write it down before the episode airs and my theory is jossed. From the promos and episode description it seems like her role is a standard damsel in distress, but I think it would be interesting if her role was a bit more complicated.
> 
> The title comes from the song "When U Love Somebody" by Fruit Bats.

It takes her a moment to recognize the sound of the doorbell. She looks up from the sheet music and blinks, pulling herself back to reality. She is not expecting any visitors this afternoon. She puts her cello aside and goes to the door.

"Yes?" she asks.

"Audrey," the man says, flashing a friendly smile. "I was hoping you and I could have a little talk."

"What's this about? Do I know you?"

"No, but I know you. I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm here to talk to you about Phil."

She grips the door knob tightly. More than a year later, it is still hard to hear his name. "What about Phil?"

"He's alive."

Her mouth opens wordlessly, and she swallows hard. "He's dead," she says, her voice wavering. "He died just before the Battle of New York."

"He did. But they brought him back."

"That's impossible."

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D. Nothing's impossible."

She can barely think straight. "No. No, he would have told me. He would have called me or come see me -" She wipes the tears from her face. "He's alive? You've seen him?"

He motions inside, and she steps aside to let him in. "A friend of mine has," he says. "He's fine. Fit as a fiddle. He's back at work for S.H.I.E.L.D."

"How long?"

"Over a year." He looks at her carefully, gauging her reaction.

She sinks onto the couch. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orders. You know Phil. The perfect company man. Never questions an order."

She is not sure whether to weep from relief or anger. "I cried for days," she says. "After the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents told me, I couldn't get out of bed for days." The man sits next to her and looks at her sympathetically. "Why are you telling me this? Isn't this against S.H.I.E.L.D. regulations?"

"I'm here because Phil's my friend," he says. "I've known him a long time. He laid down his life for S.H.I.E.L.D., and they brought him back and stuck him right back out there on the front lines. How long until something bad happens again?"

She covers her mouth with her hand.

"You and I want the same thing," he says. "We want what’s best for Phil. We want him to put S.H.I.E.L.D. behind him and come home to you. You know that's what Phil wants too. He just doesn't think he can have it. He's so wrapped up in his duty, feeling like he owes something to S.H.I.E.L.D. But haven't they already taken enough from him?"

She nods. "How can I call him? Is he still in New York?"

He shakes his head. "He can't know that I told you any of this. It's classified."

"Then what can we do?"

"We have to make Phil think that it's his idea. He has to come back to you on his own. When he does, all you have to do is convince him to stay. Have the life together you should have had. The life S.H.I.E.L.D. stole from you."

She nods. She knows how much he loves his job with S.H.I.E.L.D., but this man is right. Phil has already died once for S.H.I.E.L.D. She has to protect him before they take him away from her again. "But why would he come back to Portland?"

He smiles. "Leave that to me."


End file.
